


Of talks and love

by LeeGale



Series: Ad lunam, ut amica, ut mi stultus [21]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Child Abuse, Depression, Fluff and Angst, Hehehe, Hurt/Comfort, I Love You, I'm so sorry yuuki, M/M, Past Abuse, Suicide mention, cute bois, first 'i love yous'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25862065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeeGale/pseuds/LeeGale
Summary: After Mishima's accidental reveal of his suicidal thoughts, he and Akira meet up...
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Mishima Yuuki, Kurusu Akira/Mishima Yuuki, Mishima Yuuki/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Ad lunam, ut amica, ut mi stultus [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695079
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Of talks and love

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long to get out! I've been catching up on my summer work set for school (it's so hard to do work at home, ya know) and kinda have been watching Umbrella Academy... (I haven't finished season 2 so no spoilers!) The updates will probably actually slow even more because I still have loads of work to do, and school's starting back up in a couple of weeks. Although, let's be honest, they'll probably be shut again not too long after...  
> Anyways, sorry again and please enjoy!

When Mishima woke up the next morning, the call he and Akira had been on was still going. Over it, soft snores told him that Akira was still asleep... Mishima froze when he remembered the conversation they'd had the previous night, his heart stopping in his chest. Oh God. Oh no. He... Shit. Akira  _ said _ he still liked him, but what if he was lying? What if he'd invited Mishima over to LeBlanc to hurt him? What if- No, Akira wasn't like that. He was good and kind and wouldn't do that... Mishima sighed and forced himself to go to the toilet, leaving his phone in his room, but when he went to grab it again, he was startled by a sudden voice...

"Yuuki? You there?" Akira rasped, clearly not fully awake. Despite his concerns about what had been said the previous night, Mishima knew that he couldn't avoid Akira... Instead, he muttered an affirmative, earning a sleepy, "Good... You still okay to come to LeBlanc later?"

"I... Sure," Mishima replied, voice shaky. Akira picked up on that, his frown audible as he asked if Mishima was okay. The bluenette hesitated before sighing and murmuring, "I... I don't  _ talk _ about what we talked about, s... so I'm just..."

"I get it," Akira murmured, tone reassuring, "I... If you don't want to talk about it, we can just hang out..."

Mishima hesitated for a long moment, unsure. He  _ didn't _ want to talk about it, but he knew he had to... Sighing, he forced out, "I... I know I... I need to talk about it b... but it's... hard."

Akira made an understanding noise, so Mishima finally went downstairs, carrying the phone. As he started to make himself a coffee, neither he nor Akira said something, but once he was sat at his table, Mishima murmured, "I... I've been having thoughts about d... doing  _ that _ since middle school... It... Between the bullies and my parents- I... I mean... Uh... I..."

"You... I... Your parents were abusive, weren't they, Yuuki?" Akira asked, seemingly unsurprised by the information. Mishima hesitated before nodding, only to remember Akira couldn't see him and mutter his answer. For a moment, Akira was completely silent and Mishima felt his anxiety grow. He didn't want Akira to hate him or pity him or anything because of his parents, he just wanted Akira to like him for him and-

"I... Ann told me. After  _ Akechi _ used them as an example when he visited school... I just... I didn't know how to tell you I knew..." Akira all but whispered, and Mishima's heart stopped. Oh. That... He forgot that... He... He knew everyone at school knew, but he didn't know Takamaki had told Akira... He should have, though. Really. He just... He didn't want Akira to hate him for being so  _ weak _ and useless and-

"I... Yuuki, what they did is not your fault," Akira murmured, tone soft but firm, "It isn't and it never was, okay? They... Those  _ fucking bastards _ didn't deserve you, okay? And you deserve so much better than what they put you through. You deserve better than  _ anything _ you've been put through, alright? Them, the bullies, Kamoshida, m... my 'suicide'... You deserve so much more, okay? You... You are amazing and have survived so much and you... you deserve the entire world."

Mishima couldn't help but scoff at that, but Akira cut him off with a steady, "It's the truth, Yuuki. You deserve to be happy."

For a moment, they were both quiet, neither sure what else to say, but eventually Mishima sighed and spoke up quietly, "I... I don't believe you Akira... But! I... I might, in the future... I... It's going to be hard... For me to recover, for me to get fixed-"

"You can't fix what's not broken," Akira cut him off firmly, and Mishima's heart warmed. He... He knew that he was, really, but the fact that Akira seemed so sure? It... It gave him hope...

"I... If you say so, love," Mishima sighed, but he was smiling. Akira made a displeased noise, but didn't argue, so Mishima continued softly, "I... It's going to take a long time. Probably years... I just... I don't want you to feel forced to stay with me, okay? I... I need to know you'll tell me if I'm ever a bother or annoying or-"

"Yuuki," Akira cut him off, voice severe, "I... I promise, I'll tell you if any of that is an issue, okay? But you need to promise that you'll tell me if you ever want to hurt yourself or k... kill yourself or you are in a particularly bad headspace, okay?"

"Akira, I-"

"Promise me," Akira's tone was nothing short of begging, and Mishima broke. He... He didn't want to hurt Akira, so he agreed, murmuring a promise. That earned him a decidedly pleased hum before Akira asked, "You need to start getting ready for school, right?"

Mishima rolled his eyes at the obvious topic change but didn't call Akira on it, instead just muttering, "Unfortunately..."

Akira chuckled at that, a noise that Mishima wanted to bottle up and keep forever, and stated, "We'll talk later. See you after school."

"See you then, baby," Mishima replied, ending the call before Akira could react to the nickname. It was... odd, how Akira made Mishima feel, but also amazing... The blue teen sighed, downing the last of his coffee and going about his morning routine...

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

School passed quickly with very little fanfare. The only issue was when Takamaki told Mishima about when Suzui wanted to see him, but even the anxiety that caused didn't detract from Mishima's internal panic about his visit to LeBlanc. Part of him knew that Akira wasn't going to hurt him, but a much larger, much louder part kept screaming at him... However, the screamer was quietened when Mishima finally arrived at LeBlanc...

Once inside the cafe, he instantly found himself being swept up into a tight hug, Akira's smell relaxing him before he had the chance to panic. Sojiro chuckled at the action, even as Mishima hugged Akira back and nuzzled his chest. Somehow, the younger teen had known. He'd known that Mishima needed reassurance, and he'd known that something as simple as a hug would be good enough... He... Akira's voice, soft and caring, caught Mishima's attention as he murmured, "Let's go to my room..."

Mishima nodded, although he struggled to pull himself away from Akira's embrace. Thankfully, Akira seemed to understand so, once they were parted, he took Mishima's hand and squeezed it tight before leading the shorter teen up the stairs... Sojiro sent them a slightly confused and concerned look (he could probably see the anxiety written all over Mishima's face) but the teens ignored him in favour of going to Akira's room. When in there, Akira tugged Mishima over to his bed and made him sit, shooing Morgana down the stairs before returning to Mishima's side. For a moment, they remained silent, neither sure what to say, but eventually Akira whispered, "We don't need to talk about it if you don't want to. We can just hang out or-"

"I... I need to talk about it..." Mishima cut him off, audibly distressed as he ran his free hand through his hair, "I just... I don't know  _ how _ to..."

Akira hummed in understanding, not pressuring Mishima as he squeezed the bluenette's hand and watched him carefully. For a few minutes, it was quiet, Akira wanting to wait for Mishima and Mishima scared about what he had to say. He just... He didn't know what to do. He knew that he needed to talk about it, that communication was key in a relationship, that Akira would probably not hate him for it, but he was scared. Terrified, really. He didn't know how to put it into words, how to tell Akira without hurting him, how to just  _ say it _ -

"I... I... I don't know what I'm doing here, Akira..." he stuttered, voice high and just on the edge of panic as his breathing sped up. In an instant, Akira had his arm curled around Mishima's shoulder, pulling him closer and speaking softly.

"It's okay, Yuuki. I'm here for you. I'm here if you want to talk, if you just want to cuddle, if you want  _ anything,  _ okay? You're not on your own, not anymore..." he whispered into Mishima's ear, holding him tightly. Mishima hesitated, scared, but slowly relaxed, melting into Akira... Eventually, he gathered up the courage he needed.

"I... It's been better, si... since we met..." he murmured, hiding his face in Akira's chest and barely speaking loud enough for his boyfriend to hear, "I... You... Before you c... came to school, Kam... Kam...  _ he _ was really bad, angry that the headmaster agreed to let you move there... A... And once you arrived, h... he got worse at first... B... But! You... After Suzui... you know, when you c... came to speak to me th... then we talked to  _ him _ ... He... He was even worse... But... It's been better, si... since you dealt with him... But it... It's still... I... I...  _ Shit _ , I can't-"

Mishima cut himself off, squeezing his eyes shut and breathing heavily. He couldn't do it... He couldn't... He was too weak and useless and a waste of space and Kamoshida and his parents and the bullies had been right and he'd never be good enough and Akira would realise that sooner or later and-

"It's okay, Yuuki. Take your time... I'm here for you, okay? I've got you..." Akira mumbled soft words of encouragement, holding Mishima as close as he could. Mishima tried to keep it together, tried to be strong, tried to  _ not be fucking weak for once _ , but he couldn't. He just couldn't... So he broke, sobbing and babbling into Akira's chest.

"I... I'm so sorry, Akira... I... You... It... I'm sorry I'm so  _ fucking useless  _ and annoying and weak... I'm sorry you have to deal with me and this and everything and you deserve better and-"

"You are none of those things!" Akira growled low in his throat, carefully taking Mishima's chin between his thumb and index finger and tilting his head until they were eye to blurry, wet eye, "You are amazing and brave and you've lived through so much. I'm not 'dealing with you' because I care about you, so I'm happy to listen to you and comfort you and do whatever you want. And I don't deserve better. Not when I have you. Not when you're here, in my arms, letting yourself be vulnerable -which is  _ not _ weak, no matter what you've been told- and you... You're the one that deserves better. I... I  _ hurt _ you when I didn't tell you about our plan and you... You deserve to be happy and not hurt and the entire world and I just... You're amazing, Yuuki. You... You're so much more than you know and you deserve everything and better than me-"

"I don't! Deserve better than you... I... I just... I only want you, Akira..." Mishima cut him off, pulling away just enough to wipe his eyes and stare back at Akira, who looked torn between blushing and continuing to list what he thought Mishima deserved. Before he could make up his mind, however, Mishima moved first, cleaning his hand on his trousers before cupping Akira's cheek. He took a deep, shaky breath before leaning up and pressing his forehead to Akira's, all but whispering, "I... You... I'm a mess, Akira... I... I have  _ those _ thoughts and I hate myself more often than not and I'm always just on the edge of breaking down... But... Being with you -even back whe... when I didn't think you wanted to be friends- has... It's helped me. I... The thoughts are still there, at the back of my mind, b... but... They're quieter... They don't... scream as much most of the time... I... They're not gone, b... but they don't hurt as much... And... You've helped. A lot. Just... Even before I accepted that we were friends, you helped. You... You stopped  _ him _ , yes, but you've also done so much  _ more _ ... After he was gone, I... I would have been lost. I couldn't be a part of the volleyball team anymore and my parents hated me for that... I didn't have anything... Until I decided to make the Phansite. It... It gave me a reason to keep going.  _ You _ gave me a reason to keep going... S... So don't ever,  _ ever _ think I deserve better than you. I don't. Not just because of my own downfalls, but because you're just... You're everything to me, okay? And... And I don't want you to ever think otherwise..."

For a long moment, Akira just gaped at Mishima, and as the seconds passed, the bluenette felt his anxiety increase. What... What if he'd said too much? What if he pushed Akira away? What if- In an instant, Akira had his face pressed into Mishima's hair, voice shaking as he muttered, "I... I had no idea I helped you... I... You...  _ Fuck _ Yuuki... I... If I helped so much, my 'su... suicide' must have been hell for you... I...  _ Shit _ , I am so sorry-"

"You didn't have a choice, Akira-"

"But I hurt you! You... You considered suicide because of it! I... You...  _ Yuuki _ ..." the sheer amount of pain and guilt in Akira's tone made Mishima pull away, cupping his cheek and meeting his eyes. Everything on Akira's face screamed anger and self-loathing and so much blame that Mishima couldn't help but lean in close, words spewing from his mouth without a thought.

"Akira, if you hadn't Akechi probably would have killed you himself. You hurt me, yes, but you  _ didn't have a choice _ ! I... I... I would have been better if I... I hadn't been there and seen you... But that wasn't your fault! A... And we both survived, didn't we? If... If you hadn't done what you did, Akechi probably would have killed you for real and you wouldn't be here and we wouldn't be having the conversation. So... I... I'm okay, that you had to do it..." he babbled, pressing his forehead to Akira's and forcing his boyfriend to meet his eyes. For a long moment, Akira looked like he wanted to argue, but eventually, he slumped, closing his eyes and sighing...

"We were supposed to be talking about you, not... you comforting me..." he murmured, and Mishima frowned. Hesitating, he adjusted his head just enough to press a small kiss to Akira's nose before speaking softly.

"You have feelings too, Akira. And you deserve to be able to talk about them..." he whispered, earning a slow, surprised blink from Akira. When the younger teen opened his mouth, ready to argue, Mishima cut him off with a firm, "Don't even try it, Akira. Your feelings are valid, and I'm always here if you need to talk."

For a split second, Akira seemed... shy, almost, but he ultimately hummed in agreement, just letting Mishima do his thing. The bluenette smiled at him before trying to pull away. Keyword: trying. Akira didn't let him get far, which startled a laugh out of him before he stated, "I need to wash my face, Akira."

Akira made a displeased noise, hiding his face in Mishima's neck, earning a soft, fond chuckle. But, as cute as Akira was, Mishima could feel his tears drying to his skin and it wasn't really comfortable... He considered his options for a long moment before sighing and murmuring, "If you let me go wash my face, we can cuddle as much as you want after..."

Akira paused, seemingly considering it, before pulling away with a pout. Mishima couldn't help but smile at him, lightly nudging their foreheads together and standing. Akira continued to pout, so Mishima rolled his eyes and pressed a soft kiss to his hair, suggesting, "Why don't we go down together? Boss probably made us both coffee..."

That made Akira move, getting to his feet slowly only to stop and stretch. And when I say stretch, I mean a full-bodied thing, long and slow and good enough to draw a pleased moan from him. That made Mishima blush, heat stirring in his gut, but he ignored his hit of arousal in favour of smiling at Akira, taking his hand and leading him downstairs. Akira let him without complaint, happy to just squeeze his hand tightly when they got to the bottom of the stairs before letting go. Mishima ignored Sojiro's curious and concerned frown in favour of heading to the bathroom. He did what he needed to quickly, only to pause at what he saw when he left the room. Akira. Sojiro. Futaba. All chatting away, seemingly happy... It was... good, to see them all chilling and relaxed and just being a family. It made something in Mishima burn with love, even as another part froze up, his mind screaming that he may have been one of them for now but they'd leave him eventually and-

"Hey, babe," Akira greeted, smiling at Mishima from his seat at the bar. The bluenette in question blushed at the endearment but didn't hesitate to echo the greeting, smiling at the trio near the bar as he walked up to Akira. Futaba started to chat away, babbling about a movie she'd watched recently, but Mishima didn't pay her much attention. Instead, he was focused on Akira, who had looped an arm around his waist and was happily nuzzling into his chest... Sojiro sent them a look, mirth dancing in his eyes, and Mishima blushed brightly. That made Sojiro chuckle but before he had the chance to speak, he was cut off by the door to the cafe opening... Mishima looked over to the door, only to freeze where he was. For a split second, it was completely silent, but eventually the newcomer spoke up.

"Yuuki!" Yuuri beamed, walking closer. Mishima hesitated before smiling, pulling away from Akira (much to the bespectacled teen's disappointment) and turning so he and Yuuri were face to face. The taller teen's smile grew as he began to ramble, "It's good to see you! We haven't really had the chance to talk since we ran into each other, have we? I didn't know you'd be here! Natsuki suggested this cafe, said something about it being the best coffee place, other than Dad's, of course... What are you doing here? Who are your friends?"

Mishima almost winced, glancing between Akira and Yuuri for a moment. It was... awkward, for his ex and his current boyfriend to meet so suddenly... But, he had no choice but to go with it, so he forced himself to stutter out, "I... Um... It's good t... to see you too, Yuuri," he earned a surprised and almost... nervous look from Akira at the name drop," And yeah, we... we haven't had the chance to chat... Natsuki is kinda right - this p... place actually has better coffee than your dad's! A... And I'm here to see my b... boyfriend, Akira..."

Yuuri blinked in surprise at Akira's name before beaming, joy escaping him as he bound closer and held out a hand for Akira. The taller teen raised an eyebrow at him, glancing at Mishima with barely concealed confusion (and earning a very awkward, shy and low-key terrified look from the bluenette) before refocusing on Yuuri, shaking his hand. That made Yuuri grin even brighter as he began to chat away, "It's a pleasure to meet you! I... I'm glad Yuuki has someone to care for him!"

Akira sent Mishima an almost scared look, so the bluenette forced his own apprehension down and stepped in, smiling awkwardly and speaking up, "Akira, this is Nakamura Yuuri. I... I told you about him? And, Yuuri, this is Kurusu Akira, m... my boyfriend..."

"I thought Takamaki said you and Kurusu here were too busy dancing around each other to date?" Yuuri asked, tilting his head and finally stopping shaking Akira's hand. As soon as Yuuri let go of his hand, Akira latched onto Mishima, grabbing his hips and pulling him into his side. That earned him a surprised squeak, but when Akira curled his arms around his waist and nuzzled his chest, Mishima relaxed. He saw Yuuri raise an eyebrow at them, visibly torn between fondness and surprise, so he forced himself to speak.

"I... Uh... We actually talked about our fe... feelings for each other the night you and I ran into each other. T... Takamaki texted Akira and said we'd met up, a... and Akira was worried I still had feelings for you. That kinda led to me t... telling him I have feelings for him and he confessed too and... Yeah. We... We're dating now..." he explained, earning a small, fond smile from Yuuki. The taller teen began to ramble about how cute they were, making them both blush, but Mishima was quickly distracted by Akira. Whilst Yuuri was chatting away, Akira's hand had somehow found its way under Mishima's shirt, pressing against his abdomen as his fingers slowly, carefully drew a seemingly random pattern to the skin there... Mishima blushed brightly and used his good hand to take Akira's out from under his shirt, only for Akira to pull him even closer and pout up at him...

"Is... something happening here?" Yuuri asked after a moment of watching Akira and Mishima stare each other down, the latter visibly confused and flustered as his boyfriend tried to pull him impossibly closer. Mishima tried to say nothing was happening, squeezing Akira's hand to keep it in place as the taller teen let his other hand squeeze the bluenette's side, but he was cut off.

"Nothing you need to worry about,  _ Nakamura _ ," Akira's voice was just on the edge of sickly sweet, but there was something more there, something torn between darkness and insecurity... Mishima mentally face-palmed when he realised what was wrong. He hesitated, considering his options, before smiling down at Akira as fondly as he could muster, ignoring the heat in his cheeks.

"It really is nothing, Yuuri," Mishima reassured his old friend, even as he made sure to keep his attention on Akira, "Akira's just jealous. Even though he knows he's the only one I want... _ " _

That made Akira's pout deepen, and Mishima could barely resist the urge to lean down and kiss the pout right off of his lips... He managed to reign himself in, though, and instead pressed a sweet kiss to the younger teen's dark hair. Yuuri and Futaba cooed at that, so Mishima stuck his tongue out at them. Futaba mirrored him, but he was already refocused on Akira. The taller teen seemed jealous, yes, but something about how tense his shoulders were and how tight he gripped screamed that something else was wrong... Mishima hesitated before carefully pulling Akira up from the stool, earning a confused look from his boyfriend. He didn't explain himself, though, preferring to just tug Akira over to the closest booth. Once there, he let go of Akira just long enough to sit down before sending Akira a meaningful look. Akira looked very confused so, blushing brightly, Mishima grabbed his hand and gently pulled him down. Finally, Akira got the hint and settled, sitting in Mishima's lap with his back against the bluenette's chest. Thankfully, Mishima's ribs were mostly healed and he could adjust his arm enough for Akira to be comfortable, so it was a good position. Mostly. Something about Akira sitting on his lap made Mishima's libido jumpstart, but he ignored that in favour of curling his good arm around Akira's waist. Futaba eyed them with barely concealed curiosity, but Mishima couldn't see her so he didn't mind. Akira could, though, and he shifted shyly. At least, he did until Mishima squeezed his waist tightly. His movement ceased instantly...

"So... You two have only been together like a week, and you're already this close?" Yuuri teased, but Akira tensed. Mishima didn't need to see his face to know he was glaring, so he sighed and squeezed his boyfriend again before speaking up.

"We're both touch-starved, Yuuri," he called out, just loud enough for Yuuri to hear. That earned him an understanding noise, but his attention was once again on Akira, who had decided to move. Oblivious to Mishima's discomfort (he had his very attractive boyfriend moving around on his lap, right on his dick, of course he was struggling), Akira moved until he had his left side pressed to his boyfriend's chest, ducking his head to rest it against Mishima's shoulder. Once Akira was settled again, Mishima forced himself to take a deep, grounding breath, forcing his arousal down and speaking up softly, "This... This is awkward..."

"Kinda," Yuuri agreed, but Mishima could hear the smile in his voice. Pouting slightly, the bluenette rested his chin on Akira's shoulder and flipped Yuuri off, earning a bright laugh before the taller teen. However, when he was done laughing, Yuuri sobered up, eyes hardening as he watched Akira closely. That made the bespectacled teen shift uncomfortably (which  _ really  _ didn't help Mishima's... problem), but Yuuri spoke before he could, tone just on the edge of threatening as he stated, "Just so you know, Kurusu, if you hurt Yuuki, I  _ will _ find out."

Akira tensed at the barely concealed threat, so Mishima stepped in, glaring slightly at Yuuri and calling out, "Yuuri, don't threaten my boyfriend. He's a good guy and won't hurt me."

"You don't know that," Yuuri argued, crossing his arms. Akira just seemed to... deflate at that, everything about him screaming pain and guilt and anger, and Mishima's heart ached for his boyfriend. He knew Akira was probably thinking about their earlier conversation...

"Akira is one of the best people I have ever met, Yuuri," he stated, his glare darkening as he hugged Akira tighter, "He won't hurt me. Not on purpose."

Yuuri raised an eyebrow at that, stepping closer and glaring back as he almost growled, "On purpose? That means-"

"You of all people know I'm easy to hurt unintentionally, Yuuri, so get your head out of your ass," Mishima cut him off, voice just short of pissed off. That made Yuuri pause, a hint of regret dancing across his face, before he too deflated... For a moment, he looked torn, but he eventually sighed and spoke up.

"I... I'm sorry, Kurusu. I didn't mean to be so rude, I just... Yuuki's been through a lot and, even though it's been a while since we talked, I worry..." he whispered, running a tired hand through his hair. Akira didn't bother to speak, just humming an understanding note and nuzzling into Mishima's shoulder. The bluenette in question hesitated, unsure what to do, but eventually removed his arm from Akira's waist. That earned him a very displeased noise from Akira, but that noise quickly became a pleased hum when Mishima started to play with Akira's hair...

"I... I should probably go..." Yuuri stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Mishima wanted to argue -he had kinda missed Yuuri, and wanted to catch up- but he didn't, just calling out a quick goodbye. After all, he needed to focus on Akira, not Yuuri... As soon as Yuuri was gone, Mishima shifted just slightly, moving his hand from Akira's hair to his chin and tilting his head until they were eye to eye. For a split second, his breath caught, surprised by just how  _ close _ they were, but he ignored that in favour of speaking softly.

"Are... Are you okay?" he whispered, and Akira visibly hesitated. His eyes flickered over to Futaba and Sojiro before he refocused on Mishima, who smiled as reassuringly as he could. After a long moment, Akira shrugged, closing his eyes and hiding his face in Mishima's shoulder. That wasn't really an answer, but Mishima didn't press. He knew Akira probably didn't want to be too vulnerable around Futaba and Sojiro... Rather than try to force Akira to speak about his feelings, Mishima pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek and asked, "Is there anything you want to do?"

Akira seemed to consider his options before nuzzling closer to Mishima, whispering, "Can we just... stay like this?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Mishima murmured, wrapping his arm back around Akira as Futaba and Sojiro sent them matching concerned looks. For a split second, Mishima considered his options but eventually came to a decision, shaking his head at them to tell them to shut up. Futaba looked like she wanted to argue, but she was promptly cut off.

"So, kids... Do you want anything to drink?" Sojiro asked, stealing Futaba's attention and earning a bright yes from the girl. Mishima looked down at Akira, trying to gauge his reaction, but the disinterested shrug he got in response made him frown. It was pretty unlike Akira to care so little... Biting his lip in thought, Mishima kissed his boyfriend's hair before focusing on Sojiro.

"We'll both have our usual coffees, please," he told the older man, who was watching Akira with barely concealed concern. It took Sojiro a moment to process the order, but he managed to do it quickly, giving Mishima a couple of minutes to focus on Akira as he made the drinks... While Sojiro was busy, though, Futaba had nothing to distract her, so she slid into the booth opposite Mishima and spoke up.

"You okay there, Akira?" she asked, making the taller teen tense. Thankfully, though, he managed to force himself to relax before Futaba noticed and he turned just enough to see the girl.

"Yeah," he lied obviously, earning a deep frown from Futaba. The girl opened her mouth, ready to say something, and Mishima panicked. Something told him Akira would freak if pushed too much... So, rather than let that happen, he spoke up.

"Akira's probably just jealous," he stated, tugging his boyfriend impossibly closer as the younger teen gifted him a small, thankful smile. Futaba didn't look convinced so, to sell the lie (and cover the fact that it was something way bigger than just jealousy), Akira hummed a note of agreement and tucked his head under Mishima's chin, hiding his face in the bluenette's neck. That seemed to make Futaba shut up, but it could have just been Sojiro arriving with their coffees that did. Once the coffees were set on the table, Akira sighed and pouted, shuffling so he was sat on the inside of the booth and not on Mishima's lap. The bluenette felt bereft without his boyfriend's warmth, but he hid that behind his coffee. Of course, Akira didn't like the distance either, and was quick to lean against Mishima's side as they drank their drinks. That earned them looks of concern and confusion from both Sojiro (who, for once, sat down at the booth with them) and Futaba, so Mishima quickly changed the topic, asking, "So, how were your days?"

Futaba looked like she wanted to argue against the random topic, but the way Akira visibly relaxed stopped her. Hesitating, she sighed and spoke up softly, "It was okay. I spent most of it hacking this supposedly corrupt politician's bank account, and got some pretty good evidence that she's up to something shady! Of course, I need to track down where the suspicious transactions came from or went to, so I don't have quite enough proof to do anything but..."

As Futaba continued to babble, Mishima downed his coffee as quickly as he could before intertwining his hand with Akira's left. That earned him a slightly surprised look from his boyfriend, but he didn't say anything in response, preferring to just smile at him and kiss his cheek sweetly. That made Akira blush slightly and smile, already seeming better... Futaba seemed to catch onto the interaction, but she didn't stop talking, instead eventually changing the topic to the Phansite...

"Yuuki, how do you just... deal with all the hate you receive on the site? It's insane!" the girl's entire demeanour screamed both anger at the people on the site and something like pride at Mishima for handling it. The bluenette in question shrugged, muttering something about it not being too bad, which made Futaba's eyes burn as she all but yelled, "People are saying you deserve to die, just because you support us! That... That's terrible! How is that 'not too bad'? Yuuki-"

"Futaba, compared to a lot of the things I've been told before, it's really not bad," Mishima cut her off with a firm voice. The girl looked like she wanted to continued yelling, so Mishima shut her down with a slightly annoyed, "Futaba, drop it. Those idiots online don't know anything. They're just... sheep following the herd. They wouldn't say that kind of thing in real life, they just feel safe behind the anonymity the site offers. I don't pay them any attention."

Futaba opened her mouth, ready to fight Mishima on the matter, but was quickly distracted by the way Akira drained the last of his coffee and clambered onto Mishima's lap. That also made Mishima fall silent, heart hammering in his chest as Akira straddled his lap and wrapped his arms around his torso. For a moment, no one spoke, but eventually, Sojiro sighed, frowning. His voice was low with barely concealed worry as he asked, "Okay, boys, what's going on between you?"

Mishima froze, panicked, but was stopped from speaking by Akira, who spoke just loudly enough to be heard into his neck and stated, "I'm allowed to be clingy when my boyfriend just saw his ex, who had zero qualms about pointing out that I'm not good enough for Yuuki."

Those words made Mishima's heart ache as he hugged Akira close to the best of his ability, pressing a sweet kiss to his boyfriend's hair and whispering, "Akira, he didn't mean it like that... Besides, I thought we talked about this? You  _ are _ good enough for me... Too good, really... And! Even if you weren't, you're all I want..."

Akira didn't seem at all comforted by that, just tightening his grip on Mishima. The bluenette frowned, unsure what to do. He couldn't just  _ talk _ about Akira's insecurities in front of Futaba and Sojiro, but he knew he and Akira needed to talk... Sojiro seemed to catch onto his problem, standing and nodding at Mishima before suggesting he walk Futaba back home. The ginger girl tried to argue, but Mishima cut her off with the darkest glare he could manage, so she went on her merry way. As soon as the door was shut, Mishima carefully removed Akira's face from his neck -an action that earned him a small whine, but he ignored how his heart clenched at the noise- and cupped the taller teen's cheek. Akira refused to meet his eyes, instead staring at some random point behind him, so Mishima pressed their foreheads together and whispered, "Akira, talk to me..."

For a long moment, Akira didn't seem like he was going to say anything, but he eventually sighed and met Mishima's eye, murmuring, "I... It's just...  _ He _ seemed really nice and he obviously cares about you and I know you deserve better than me and he is that and-"

"Akira, I don't care about Yuuri. I don't want Yuuri. I don't give a shit if Yuuri has feelings for me -which he doesn't- because the person I like is  _ you _ . I don't deserve better than you, no matter what you think. And, even if by some miracle I did, I wouldn't  _ care _ . I don't care about what I deserve. I care about what I want. And that's you, okay? You're all I want," Mishima made sure to keep his voice firm and steady, his eyes never leaving Akira's. The taller teen seemed like he wanted to argue, so Mishima cut him off with a no-nonsense, "Don't even argue with me, Akira. I want  _ you _ , no one else, nothing else, no matter what."

That made Akira break. He hid his face in Mishima's neck, sobs wracking his body and surprising his boyfriend. Thankfully, it didn't take long for Mishima to react, moving his hand to Akira's hair to pet it softly as he whispered into his boyfriend's ear, "It's okay, Akira. I've got you... I'm here... I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon, okay? I'm for as long as you want me-"

"I want you so much!" Akira cut Mishima off, pulling away and gripping his face in both hands, "I... You... You're everything to me Yuuki. You're incredible and sweet and just so, so amazing and I don't deserve-"

This time it was Akira who got cut off, but not verbally. Instead of bothering to argue (this time), Mishima had covered Akira's mouth with his hand, eyes hard and steely. Something about the sight made Akira gulp and, once it seemed like he was done talking, Mishima removed his hand. It was silent for a long moment before Mishima sighed, cupping Akira's cheek and pressing their foreheads together as he whispered, "You have no idea how much I like you, Akira... I don't want to leave you for Yuuri, even if that's what you think I 'deserve' or whatever bullshit your mind is telling you. You're all I want, okay?"

Akira seemed to hesitate, but he eventually nodded minutely. That earned him a bright smile as Mishima relaxed, prompting Akira to relax too... For a few minutes, they remained like that, neither moving, but eventually they were distracted by the sound of the cafe door opening. Mishima reacted first, pushing Akira's head into his chest so he had a clear view of the door and reaching for his knife, but the glare that had overtaken his face was quickly replaced with a shy smile as Sojiro eyed him and Akira with barely concealed worry. The older man walked over to the booth, leaning against the table and staring down at them. Akira looked up, freezing at the sight of his guardian... No one spoke for a few moments, unsure, but eventually Sojiro sighed and asked, "So... Are you two going to tell me why it looks like Akira was crying?"

The way Akira grew even tenser, a flash of panic washing over his face, made something in Mishima roar, ready to protect his boyfriend at all costs... Thankfully, he didn't need to, since Akira forced himself to stutter out, "I... Just... You know... I was just worried that Yuuki might have liked Yuuri more than me..."

That admission made Sojiro raise an eyebrow but, when he didn't detect any lies, he relaxed with a sigh. He seemed to consider his words before speaking softly, tone nothing short of fond as he stated, "Kid, you don't need to worry about that. Anyone with eyes can see Mishima's head over heels for you."

Both Akira and Mishima blushed at that but, when Akira tried to argue, Mishima found himself humming in agreement. That made Akira stare at him with barely veiled wonder as Sojiro chuckled. Mishima blushed brightly under his boyfriend's gaze, reaching up to rub the back of his neck awkwardly as he muttered, "Wh... What? I... I've already told you I l... like you..."

Akira's cheeks darkened as he smiled, bright and precious and all around too damn attractive for Mishima to handle. Seemingly without a thought, the bespectacled teen wrapped his arms around Mishima's shoulders and pulled him close, pressing a sweet kiss to his forehead. That made Mishima blush even more, but he didn't try to fight it, preferring to just melt into his boyfriend and nuzzle into his neck. Their little show of affection earned a fond huff from Sojiro, who spoke up softly, "Okay, Mishima, I guess you're staying for dinner?"

"I... If it's not a bother..." Mishima replied, barely paying Sojiro any attention. The older man said it was fine before suggesting they went upstairs, so they weren't likely to be disturbed by any customers. Akira grumbled by agreed, taking his sweet time to clamber off of Mishima, who told Akira to go up first. That earned him a frown, but Akira did as he was told, so Mishima was quick to get to his feet and turn to Sojiro, smiling and murmuring, "Thank you, Boss. For being so good to Akira."

"Just go and look after him, Mishima," Sojiro ordered him, rolling his eyes fondly and heading to the bar, "...And I should be the ne to thank you. He's been... happier, since you got together..."

Mishima's heart skipped a beat at that. It was... amazing, to hear that he'd made Akira happier... He smiled shyly at Sojiro, muttering something about Akira making him happier too, before heading to the toilet. He did his business quickly, nodding to Sojiro (who was serving a customer who had just arrived) before heading upstairs. However, he paused at the top of the stairs, his heart stopping in his chest at what he saw...

Akira, visibly upset, was curled around the plushy Mishima had won him during their date on his bed. Everything about him screamed distressed... Even Morgana trying to nuzzle his hand for pets didn't cheer him up, much to the cat's obvious chagrin... Mishima frowned, walking over and perching on the edge of the bed. Akira shuffled slightly, just enough to rest his head on Mishima's thigh, so Mishima took that as a silent request to pet his hair. Which he did, carefully carding his hand through the younger teen's hair and whispering, "Are... Are you okay?"

Akira hesitated, obviously unsure what to say, so Mishima gently tugged his hair until he stuttered out, "I... You... You took so long that I... I was worried I'd annoyed you..."

"Of course you didn't annoy me, sweetheart. I just needed to use the toilet..." Mishima whispered, returning to petting Akira. Thankfully, that seemed to be enough to calm the younger teen, since he hummed a note of understanding a relaxed... For a few minutes, they remained in silence, but eventually Mishima spoke up, softly asking, "Is there anything you want to do?"

Akira seemed to consider it for a moment before shrugging, not bothering to move from his spot. Mishima hesitated, glancing at his school bag. He had homework he needed to do, but he knew Akira needed him... After a long moment of thinking, he whispered, "I need to do my homework, Akira... So, is it okay if I grab my bag and do it on here? You can take a nap or something, if you want..."

It took Akira a couple of seconds to react, but eventually he hummed a note of agreement, shuffling so his head rested on his pillow instead of Mishima's thigh. That allowed Mishima to get up and grab his bag, which he did quickly before returning to Akira's side. He settled easily, taking out his history homework and his pencil case. However, before he could do anything, he was distracted by Akira's soft voice as he asked, "What are you working on?"

"History," Mishima replied, smiling at Akira and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. That earned him a pleased hum as Akira sat up, stretching. He seemed to consider something before moving. He wormed his way between Mishima and the wall, pulling his boyfriend into his chest.

"I... Is it okay if I cuddle you like this while you work?" he murmured into Mishima's ear. That made the bluenette shiver, but he ignored the heat that had burst in his gut in favour of agreeing. Akira made a small, pleased noise at that, nuzzling the back of Mishima's neck as he started to do his work...

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

A while later, Mishima finally finished the last of his work, although he found he had a slight issue... He couldn't move. Akira was draped over his back fast asleep and way too damn cute for Mishima's heart to handle. Like, seriously, it should be illegal for anyone to be as damn adorable as Akira was... But, unfortunately, Akira had to be woken up when Sojiro called up the stairs, saying their food was done. Mishima didn't want to wake him up, since he knew Akira had been having trouble sleeping, but he had to...

"Akira, sweetheart?" Mishima's spoke softly, reaching up behind him to pet Akira's hair. That earned him a sleepy grumble and he smiled, whispering, "C'mon love, Sojiro made dinner..."

Akira continued to whine, tightening his grip on Mishima and earning a fond chuckle from the bluenette, who twisted around to the best of his ability and murmured into Akira's ear, "Akira, we need to go eat..."

Groaning, Akira pulled away, blinking away his sleepiness. Mishima smiled softly, kissing Akira's cheek softly and pulling away. That made Akira whine, so Mishima was quick to, after he stood up, hold out his hand. Akira hesitated for a split second before taking it, letting Mishima tug him to his feet and down the stairs. Sojiro smiled slightly at them when he saw them, nodding towards the booth he'd set up with their food.

"Thanks, Boss!" Mishima beamed at the older man, pulling Akira over to the booth and making him sit on one side before taking his own seat.

"No problem kid. I'm heading home to eat with Futaba, but call me when you're ready to head home Mishima," Sojiro replied, shrugging and heading to the door. Mishima agreed easily (and it surprised him how  _ easy _ it was for him to trust the older man...) before refocusing on Akira, who smiled softly at him. For a while, they were both quiet, happy to just eat and bask in each other, but eventually Mishima spoke up, voice soft as he asked, "Akira... Would you like to go on a date soon?"

Akira blinked, raising an eyebrow at his blushing boyfriend before smiling sweetly and murmuring, "I... Yeah, I'd like that..."

Mishima looked up from where he'd ducked his head, eyeing Akira to see if he really wanted to do it, but grinning when he sensed no lie. That made Akira smile back, so Mishima began to babble the ideas he'd had for their next date, "Awesome! I was thinking we could maybe go to the local ice rink? I've been a couple of times, and it's really fun! Or, if that's too crowded and dangerous, we could possibly do some baking? I know it's an odd suggestion for a date, but... I dunno, it seems fun..."

"We could do both? Maybe not at the same time, but as separate dates?" Akira suggested, smiling softly and taking Mishima's hand from where it had been resting on the table. That made Mishima relax, smiling softly as Akira asking, "Can we bake the day after tomorrow, after school? I have some P-Thief stuff to do tomorrow..."

"Sure!" Mishima agreed, squeezing Akira's hand before suggesting they finished their food. Akira nodded, squeezing Mishima's hand back and letting go to eat. It didn't take long for them to clean their plates, and as soon as they were done, Akira took their plates to the sink. As always, Mishima tried to argue, but Akira didn't listen, so, instead, Mishima made them both a cup of coffee each, returning to his spot in the booth. Akira smiled, sliding into the booth next to Mishima and taking his coffee in his left hand. Mishima smiled back, leaning against Akira's side and sipping his own drink. They both relaxed into the quiet, staring out of the window as rain began to fall...

"Hey, Yuuki?" Akira's soft voice stole Mishima's attention, "It's your birthday soon, right?"

"Um... It's the thirteenth today, right?" Mishima asked, frowning. Akira nodded, so Mishima smiled and continued, "Yeah. In a couple of weeks... Why'd you ask?"

"Just double-checking," Akira replied, smiling down at Mishima. The bluenette sent him a disbelieving look but didn't question it, preferring to hum a note and press a kiss to Akira's cheek. That made the younger teen blush, but he mirrored the action before nuzzling Mishima's hair. Mishima chuckled at that, smiling softly. Akira pulled back just enough to smile back at him, eyes flicking away from Mishima's and down to his lips... Mishima's breath caught, his eyes widening as Akira leaned forward. Was... Was he... Was he going to kiss him? What-

"Hey, Mishima, I-" Sojiro cut himself off, stopping in the doorway to the cafe as Akira and Mishima jumped apart, both blushing brightly. For a moment, no one spoke, Sojiro feeling awkward because the boys he saw as his own sons already nearly kissed whilst the teens in question were shy and very, very flustered. Eventually, though, Sojiro sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, murmuring, "Were you two about to kiss?"

Mishima spluttered at that, hiding his face in his good hand and stuttering something even he couldn't understand. Thankfully, though, Akira spoke up, cutting him off before he could embarrass himself too bad...

"Yes, we were," Akira replied, glaring slightly at Sojiro and wrapping an arm around Mishima. That made Mishima release a small, wounded noise as he hid his face in Akira's side. Of course, that worried his boyfriend and prompted Akira to quietly ask, "Did... Did you not want to kiss me?"

"I... Of course I did!" Mishima rushed to correct Akira's assumption, uncovering his face in favour of cupping Akira's cheek, "I just... You... I'm... It's just so  _ awkward _ how easily you told Boss that..."

Akira didn't seem convinced so, in order to help him relax, Mishima ignored his nerves and leaned up, pressing a sweet kiss just to the corner of Akira's mouth. It wasn't quite a proper kiss, but it seemed to be enough to convince Akira that Mishima had told the truth... So, Akira smiled, blushing brightly and leaving a soft kiss on Mishima's forehead before looking at Sojiro and asking, "Did you need Yuuki for something?"

"Uh... Yeah, I was going to give him a lift home," Sojiro replied, visibly awkward. Mishima couldn't help but pout at that, not wanting to go just yet, but he didn't have a choice... So, instead of arguing, he kissed Akira's cheek and softly asked him to move, so he could get out of the booth. Akira pouted too, but did as he was asked. Although, as soon as they were both stood up, Akira pulled Mishima close, kissing his forehead and speaking lowly into his hair.

"Text me when you get home," he murmured, and Mishima agreed easily, kissing Akira's cheek before pulling away regretfully. He muttered a soft goodbye before going upstairs and grabbing his things. Akira led him and Sojiro to the door before Mishima and the older man headed to the car. For a while, they were quiet, Sojiro unsure what to say and Mishima caught up in his own mind, but eventually, the silence was broken...

"So, kid, about you and Akira kissing..." Sojiro's voice was nothing short of uncomfortable as he eyed the teen in the back of the car through the mirror. Mishima couldn't help but blush brightly and make a small noise, earning a huff from Sojiro, who relaxed as he continued, "I'm not going to say much, kid. I just wanted to remind you that your boundaries are important."

For a moment, Mishima paused, glancing at Sojiro, before he grinned, "Thanks, Boss."

Sojiro didn't bother to reply, simply nodding at him, so they remained quiet for the rest of the drive. Mishima was quick to get in when he got home, flicking on the light and turning on the TV for background noise as he dumped his bag on the floor, pulling out his phone to text Akira.

_ Me: Home safe xxx _

Akira was quick to reply, earning a bright smile from his boyfriend.

** Akira: Good. **

** Akira: Hey, watch the TV **

That made Mishima frown in confusion and he almost texted Akira to ask what he meant, but he was distracted before he could... The TV showed a video, proof of Akira being alive (and looking damn fine in that costume of his...) and a direct call-out on Shido. It was... well, the video itself was awesome! Other than the fact that all the Phantom Thieves looked really cool, it was edited really well and Mishima was kinda dying because holy shit his boyfriend was hot, but he ignored that in favour of texting Akira quickly.

_ Me: I saw the PT thing! That was so cool! _

** Akira: Do you really think that? **

_ Me: Of course! _

For a split, Mishima hesitated. He kinda felt... shy, telling Akira how attractive he was in his outfit (and seriously, Mishima lowkey wanted to see the real thing because what little the video showed was not enough), but some part of him was screaming that Akira probably needed reassurance, so he forced himself to continue.

_ Me: They're leader looked especially awesome! _

When Akira didn't reply right away, Mishima began to worry. What if Akira was weirded out? What if he was uncomfortable? What if-

** Akira: How'd you think that? You barely saw him. **

Mishima couldn't help but blush slightly. It was true, Akira hadn't been super visible except for that one shot of his eyes... But, from what Mishima could make out, he was pretty damn attractive. And he knew Akira knew that, so he rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's obvious fishing and replied.

_ Me: I low-key love the jacket he wore. And he kinda reminded me of a certain pretty boy... _

** Akira: A pretty boy? Who ever do you mean? **

Mishima couldn't help but laugh at that, warmth settling in his heart. Akira could be so damn cute...

_ Me: I think you already know who I mean, sweetheart. _

_ Me: But, if you  _ **_ need _ ** _ confirmation, I mean you. _

Mishima hesitated, considering what he could do, before tacking a swift 'Pretty boy' onto the end of his second text and sending it. For a long moment, Akira didn't reply and, despite everything, Mishima felt his heart speed up. He didn't want to go too fast (even though Akira who had almost initiated their first kiss...) and care Akira off or-

** Akira: Dammit Yuuki you're too cute. Rude. **

Mishima blushed, a small, pained noise escaping him as his heart skipped a beat. That was... Ahhh! That was so smooth! Akira was just... Afgsjdmsan! Mishima could not handle how amazing his boyfriend was, honestly...

_ Me: Ahjhadsvhafsjafs Akira! You have no right to be so smooth! _

** Akira: I gotta make up for how amazing you are somehow. **

_ Me: AKIRA!!! _

** Akira: lol **

_ Me: I hate you. _

** Akira: You love me really **

_ Me: ...I guess. _

As soon as the message was sent, Mishima chucked his phone onto his couch and got to his feet, pacing. He... Was that too much? What if Akira wasn't ready for that? What if- A sudden ding made him grab his phone, biting his lip as he read Akira's response...

** Akira: Luv u 2 **

What? What??? WHAT??? Did... Did Akira actually mean that? Or was he joking? Or... What? What else was there? How... How was he supposed to react to that??? He-

** Akira: You alive Yuuki? **

_ Me: Yeah, sorry _

** Akira: ...Too much? **

_ Me: No! Just... Not used to anyone saying that even as a joke lol _

** Akira: ... **

** Akira: Would you freak out if I said I wasn't joking? **

** Akira: I know it's soon and probably too much and just forget it it doesn't matter **

Mishima's heart stopped in his chest. Akira... He meant it? He did? He...

_ Me: No! I'm not going to forget it! I... It is pretty soon, but would it be weird if I said I feel the same? _

_ Me: Because I do. Love you, that is. _

_ Me: I have for a while but I didn't know how to tell you and okay I'll shut up now _

** Akira: ... How long is a while? **

For a split second, Mishima considered lying. He knew it was probably weird how long he'd loved Akira, but he knew he had to be honest...

_ Me: I realised the evening after the wake. _

As soon as the message was sent, Mishima stood up, keeping his phone in hand as he began to pace. What if it made Akira uncomfortable? What if Akira felt weirded out? What if- His phone began to ring, almost making him stumble before he caught himself and answered with a shakey, "H... Hello?"

"You've really loved me that long?" Akira breathed, audibly torn between surprise and happiness. Mishima hesitated before nodding, only to remember that Akira couldn't see him and murmur a small 'yeah'. That earned him a breathless chuckle as Akira said, "We could have been dating back then? Seriously? I...  _ Shit _ , Yuuki, why didn't you say anything?"

Mishima opened his mouth, ready to reply, but Akira cut him off with a fond, "Never mind, I know why. You didn't think I would have liked you back..."

"I... Yeah," Mishima agreed despite not needing to, smiling and settling comfortably. However, his brain was quick to start nit-picking. Akira hadn't actually seriously said the words... What if... What if... What-

"I love you, Yuuki," Akira murmured, seemingly having read Mishima's mind. It made the bluenette's heart stop before restarting at ten timed the usual speed, a blush dusting his cheeks as a smile tugged at his lips...

"I... I love you too, Akira..." Mishima whispered, barely audible behind the emotions that clogged his throat. Akira heard him though, and that was enough. 

Akira always heard him, always saw him, and that was more than enough...


End file.
